Curtain-fixture.



No.. 737,248. PATENTBD AUG.. 25, 1903. l H.' E. KBELBR. f

CURTAIN FIXTURE.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. 22, 1902.

l No moDBL.

wwf/Wm y/f///////////`f// //////ffl/7 /f UNITED STATES Patented August 25,l 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

CURTAIN-FIXTURE'.

`SPECILIEICA'JJIOINI forming part of Letters Patent N o. 737,248, dated August 25, 1903.

I Application filed March 2 2, 1902. Serial No. 99,397. (No model.) I i 4To all whom t may concern: f

Be it known that I, HERBERT E. KEELEE, a

citizen of the United States, and aresident of New York, in the county and State of'New. York, have invented certai-n new 'and useful.

Improvements in Curtain-Fixtures, of which the following isa specication, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, annexed to and forming part of the same.

This invention relates to curtain-fixtures, such as are especially adapted to be used in connection with spring-actuated curtains to hold the curtain in any desiredposition.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the same reference characters refer to similar parts in the several figures, Figure l'is a perspective view showing one'form of this invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of one form of foot. Fig. 3 is an end view of the same. Figsl, 5, 6, and 7 show other forms of feet.

The posts K' areform ed with suitable guidewaysK, by which the lower end of the curtain L is guided. This spring-actuated curtain, the upper end of which is secured to a spring-n roller or other similar device in the usual way, is connected at its lower end with the tube L', which preferably its within a pocket'forrned in the curtain. The feet M are supported in either end of the tube, so as to be spring# pressed outward to coperate with the guideways on either side of the curtain.` Both the feet are preferably mounted in the tube, so as to reciprocate therein and'be accurately supported during such reciprocation. In Fig. 2 the foot M is shown as securely fastened to the spindle M', which is integral with the plunger M2. This plunger iits within the tube L',

so as to be accurately guided thereby during the operation of the iixture. Theplun'ger is held in the tube by the ferrule L2, which is preferably screwed upon the outer end of the tube and vwhich is formed with the flange L3, which prevents the plunger from being drawn out of the tube. This ferrule maybe secured upon the end of the tube in any other desired'way, such as by soldering or byv a pin connection. Theplungeris pressedoutward, preferably bya spring L5, which engages the end of the plunger and which is confined by the collarL4,secured in the tubein any desired manner. The plunger should be formed so as to give a long bearing in the curtain-tube Ateither end of the shoe there are provided'elevated guides N, which enter the yguideway Kand have bearing on the bottom ofthe guideway, so as to hold the curtain in position. Y These elevated guides are the only parts of the shoewhich enter the guideway, so that the shoe bridges the guideway, its central portion being held clear of the same. It willthus be seen that 'the central portion of the shoe is relieved, so as not to engage the sides of the guideway at curves. This shoe can therefore more readily pass around curves in theguideway,asis indicated in Figi. In order that the shoe may still more readily follow the guideways, the shoe may be formed with swiveling guides, as is indicated in Fig. 2, the guides vN being connected to the shoe by the pivots M3, which allow the guides to swivel in the ends of the shoe. These guides are provided vwith guiding members N8 of any desired form to normally engage the bottom of the guideway in order to hold the curtain in position.. pivoted about the points N2 and are preferably mounted so as to be very lightly in contact with the guideway, so that when the shoe tilts in the guideway these rolls come into action and give a greater freedom ofmovement of the shoe along the guideway. 'As will be seen in the drawings,the guide-'rolls N' are mounted in the outer ends of .the guides N, and the guiding members N3 havebearingsurfacesextending nearly to the point'of engagement of the guide-rolls; `By this means when the shoe tilts the point of engagement of the shoe with the guideway is very slightly 'in order to properly support the shoe from the tube. 5 5- Guide-rolls N' are shown altered, sincev the portion of the guiding member N3 which is last in contact with the guidel way is closely adjacent the guide-roll N', which comes into engagement to give'the shoe a greater freedom of movement. Since the guiding member and guide-roll substantially merge into one another, so as to constitute one guiding-surface, the Aaction of the shoe when tilted is very smooth and the curtain is restored to a parallel position in a very desirable manner. It is not necessary of course in all cases to employ guide-rolls in the ends IOO of the guides to give an increased freedom of movement, since other guiding means` may be used at that point to come into engagement with the guideway when the shoe is tilted to give a greater freedom of movement to the shoe. The guide-rolls, however, are a very desirable form of device for this purpose, and they are preferably arranged so that when the shoe is in proper engagement with the guideway these rolls are very lightly in contact with the guideway, the looseness of the rolls about their pivots preventing any considerable engagement. The slightest tilting of the shoe is, however, suti'icient to immediately bring these guide-rolls into effective engagement with the guideway. It is very desirable that this arrangement of adjacent guiding members and guide-rolls to form substantially a single guiding-surfacein the ends of the shoes and to give a variable freedom of movement thereto may be usedin the form of shoe indicated in Fig. l, in which the guides are rigidly secured to the shoe. The guides are preferably formed in all cases with beveled end portions N, so that they may readily follow the curves of the guideways, the guides being slightly beveled or rounded at their ends.

It desired, a suitable retainer may be employed to keep the guiding members in the guideway. This retainer may take any desired form and may be either a plate, a rod, or cord. As indicated in Fig. 3, the retainer consists of a plate K2, which projects to some extent over the guideway and is secured in position by suitable means. A groove N5 is formed in the guides N to accommodate the relai ner, which loosely engages it in this manner. It will be noted that the guiderolls N' are adapted to come into engagement with the retainer when the shoe tilts in the guide- Way. If desired, however, the retainer may be made in the form of a rod or cable, as indicated in Figs. G and 7, the retainer K3 passing through a suitable opening in the guides N of the shoe, so as to act properly. The retainer in this case assists in restoring the shoe to proper position by reason of the guiderolls coming in contact with the retainer.

It is not necessary in all cases to form the guides at the end ot the shoe, so that they swivel with respect thereto. In Fig. t these guides N are indicated as rigidly secured to the shoe, so as to be integral therewith, as is the case with the forni of foot shown in Fig. 5. Furthermore, anydesired form of guiding member may be used on the guides to properly engage the guideways. It is not necessary in all cases to provide guide-rolls at this point, since a simple guiding member, as is indicated in Fig. 5, may be used, so as to give the proper engagement with the guideway K to hold the curtain in position.

Many modications maybe made by those familiar with this art. Parts of this invention may also be used without employing all of the same, and parts of this invention may be used in connection with other devices without departing from the spirit of this invention. I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to t-he disclosure which I have made in this case; but

What I claim as new, and what I desire to secure by Letters Patent, is set forth in the appended claims:

1. In a curtain-fixture, a spring-actuated curtain, curved guideways adjacent said curtain, a curtaintube secured to said curtain, shoes mounted in said curtain-tube to be spring-pressed outward into contact with said guideways, lferrules on said tube to secure said shoes thereto, said shoes being formed with elevated sliding guides swivelingly mounted at the ends ot' said shoes, guide-rolls in said guides, retainers to cop.- erate with said guides, said shoes bridging said guideways to allow said shoes to readily pass around the curves of said guideways.

2. In a curtain-fixture, a spring-actuated curtain, guideways having retainers secured adjacent thereto on either side of said curtain, shoes mounted on said curtain to reciprocate with respect thereto, said shoes having guiding members normally in engagement with said guideways and guide-rolls to engage said guideways and said retainers when said shoes are tilted.

3. In a curtain-fixture, curved guideways, a curtain-tube, shoes mounted to reciprocate in said tube, said shoes heilig formed with guiding members at either end of the same to engage said guideways and with relieved central portions to allow said shoes to readily pass around the curves in said guideways and retainers secured to said guideways to retain said shoes in cooperation therewith.

4. In a curtain-fixture, a spring-actuated curtain, curved guideways adjacent said curtain, shoes secured to said curtain, elevated sliding guides swivelingly mounted at either end of said shoes to enter said guideways, said shoes bridging said guideways to allow said shoes to readily pass the curves of said guideways.

5. In a curtain-fixture, a spring-actuated curtain, guideways adjacent said curtain, shoes, means to secure said shoes to said cur tain and elongated guides loosely mounted in the ends of said shoes to move in planes substantially perpendicular to said curtain.

6. In a curtain-fixture, curved guideways, a curtain-tube and shoes mounted to reciprocate in said tube, said shoes being formed with guiding members at either end of the same to engage said guideways and with relieved central portions to allow said shoes to readily pass around the curves in said guideways.

7. In a curtain-xture, curved guideways, a curtain and shoes secured to said curtain to reciprocate transversely of the same and to be pressed outward to coperate with said guideways, said shoes comprising separated guiding members to engage said guideways,

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the central portions of said shoes being relieved to allow the shoes to pass readily around the curves in said guideways.

8. In 'a curtain-fixture, a curtain-tube, spring-pressed plungers having shoes secured thereto in said tube and ferrules secured upon the ends of said tube and projecting inward beyond the ends of the same to hold said plungers therein.

9. In a curtain-fixture, a curtain-tube, a spring-pressed plunger fitting Within said tube, a shoe connected to said plunger anda.

vferrule mounted upon the end of said tube to hold said plunger therein.

lO. In a curtain-fixture, a curtain-tube, a plunger mounted in said tube, a shoe secured to said plunger and means secured to said tube and projecting inward beyond the end of the same to hold said plunger within said tube.

11. In a curtain-fixture, a spring-.actuated curtain, guideways adjacent said curtain,

shoes to coperate with said guideways, meansl to secure said shoes to said curtain and elongated sliding guides engaging said guideways swivelingly mounted in either end of said shoes to move about separated axes substantially parallel to said curtain.

12. In a curtain-fixture, a tube, shoes secured to said tube, and elongated guides swivelingly mounted at either end of said shoes to move about axes substantially parallel to said tube.

13. In a curtain-fixture, a spring-actuated curtain, curved guideways adjacentsaid cu rtain, shoes secured to said curtain, and elevated sliding guides at either end of said shoes to enter said guideways, said shoes bridging said guideways to allow said shoes` to readily pass the curvesof said guideways.

let. In a curtain-fixture, a curved guideway, a shoe to coperate with said guideway, said shoe having elevated guides a-t either end of the same to enterv said guideway, said shoe vbridging said guideway to readily pass the curves of the same.

15. In a curtain-fixture, curved guideways, retainers mounted adjacent said guideways, a spring-actuated curtain and shoes secured to said curtain to reciprocate transversely ofi the same and to be pressed outward to cooperate Withsaid guideways and retained in coperation therewith by said retainers, said shoes comprising separated guiding members to engage said guideways, the central portions of `said shoes being relieved to allow the shoes to pass readily around the curves in said guideways.

1G. In a curtain-fixture, a spring-actuated shoe having separated elevated guiding members to enter said guideway to cause said shoe to bridge said guideway.

18. In a curtain-fixture, a spring-actuated curtain, guideways adjacent said curtain, retainers mounted adjacent said guideways, shoes mounted on said curtain to reciprocate with relation thereto, means to press said shoes outward into' coperation with said guideways, said shoes being formed with guiding members and being provided with grooves to loosely accommodate said retainers, said shoes being normally out of contact with said retainer but engaging the same when said shoes are tilted.

19. In a curtain-fixture, a spring-actuated curtain, guideways having retainers mounted adjacent thereto upon either side of said curtain, shoes mounted on said curtain to recip-v rocate with respect thereto, said shoes being normally out of engagement with said retainers and having guiding members normally in engagement with said guideways and guiderolls to engage said guideways and said retainers when said shoesware tilted.

20. In a curtain-iixture, a guideway having a retainer mounted adjacent thereto, a shoe to coperate with said guideway and normally outof engagement with said retainer, said shoe having guiding members normally in engagement with said guideway and guide-rolls to engage said guideway and said retainer when said shoe is tilted.

2l. In a curtain-fixture, a guideway having a retainer mounted adjacent thereto, a shoe to coperate with said guideway, and normally out of engagement with said retainer, said shoe having guiding members normally in engagement with said guideway and engaging said guideway and said retainer when said' HERBERT E. KEELER.

shoe is tilted.

Witnesses:

HARRY L. DUNCAN, J OHNN. MOORE.

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